


Leverage

by StarSparkle2403



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Leverage, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Based on a TV show, But They're Good Criminals, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Science Bros, Tony Is Not Helping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2019-06-15 08:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15408753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarSparkle2403/pseuds/StarSparkle2403
Summary: "Sometimes bad guys make the best good guys."  -Nathan Ford, LeveragePhil Coulson has a plan, and for that, he needs the help of some criminals.Based on the TV show Leverage.





	1. The Agent, The Captain, The Assassins, and The God

**Author's Note:**

> I really shouldn't start another WIP, but oh well.

Phil Coulson had joined SHIELD to help people.

He left SHIELD because he was hurting people instead of helping them.

Coulson still wanted to help people, though, so he swiped a little something before he left.

SHIELD had a large directory of individuals that could potentially become a problem for them. They wouldn’t miss a few files, would they?

\----------

Coulson knew that there was one person he needed to have on his side for this to work, and it wasn’t going to be easy to get him there.

“For a dead man, you look pretty healthy,” Coulson said, stepping out of the shadows.

The blond man steadied the punching bag in front of him before responding. “Are you here to bring me in?”

“No,” Coulson replied, looking around the old gym. “I’m here to offer you a job.”

“At SHIELD?” the man laughed. “I’m going to have to decline. I don’t do well with authority figures.”

Coulson smiled thinly. “I don’t work for SHIELD anymore.”

The blond man turned around, one eyebrow arched. He examined Coulson closely, trying to decide if he should trust the ex-agent or not. “What do you have in mind?” he finally asked, unwrapping his hands.

Coulson handed him a thick file. “It’s called the Avenger Initiative. I put it together just in case.”

“Just in case of what?”

The ex-agent looked grim as he said, “Just in case we ever needed them.”

The blond man glanced over the file before responding. “Why these people?

Coulson’s response was immediate. **“Sometimes bad guys make the best good guys.”**

The blond man stared at the file for a moment before looking up at Coulson. “What do you need me to do?”

“They need a leader,” Coulson replied. “And I think you’re the man for the job.”

“It won’t be easy,” the other man said. “They’ve all worked on their own since they started. They won’t want to give up that freedom.”

“If I recall correctly, you can be pretty convincing when you want to be.”

When he didn’t get a reply, Coulson turned to leave. Just before he reached the door, he heard the other man say, “It was good to see you again Phil.”

“You too, Captain Rogers.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

SHIELD File A1945-0305

Steven Grant Rogers

DECEASED

Alias(es): Captain America; The Captain

Affiliation(s): United States Army (formerly)

Relatives: Joseph Rogers (Father; Deceased); Sarah Rogers (Mother; Deceased)

Captain Rogers was dishonorably discharged from the army after multiple infractions consisting mainly of disobeying a superior. He was taken into custody for assaulting his superior when his discharge was announced. He proceeded to break himself and his brother-in-arms/best friend, James “Bucky” Barnes, out of a federal prison. The ensuing manhunt resulted in Rogers being killed and Barnes being taken back to prison.

Before he became a criminal, Captain Rogers showed great leadership skills on and off the battlefield. SHIELD had been considering him as a possible leader of the new STRIKE team before the events listed above occurred.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Coulson’s next stop was to a duo he knew would give him hell if they weren’t in the know about this.

The archer was on board immediately. The Russian had doubts.

“This is going to be awesome!” the archer exclaimed, hanging upside down off the side of his sagging couch. “Besides,” he continued, when he saw the red-headed Russian wasn’t convinced. “This means you won’t be on the receiving end of all my pranks anymore, Nat.”

The woman still looked skeptical, but agreed on one condition. “If this goes south, I wasn’t involved.”

“Deal,” Coulson replied, shaking her hand.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

SHIELD File S2018-4539

Clinton Francis Barton

Alias(es): Hawkeye

Affiliation(s): The Circus of Crime (formerly)

Relatives: Harold Barton (Father, Deceased); Edith Barton (Mother, Deceased); Barney Barton (Brother, Status Unknown)

At a young age, Barton and his brother Barney were orphaned and taken in by the Circus of Crime. That is where they learned to be sharpshooters and where they got their start in crime.

Barton was double crossed by his brother and the Circus and became a man for hire. He is credited with over fifty assassinations and over twenty more could be his work.

He dropped off the radar in 2016, but intel leads us to believe he resides in the States.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

SHIELD File Y1964-4689

Natalia Alianovna Romanova

Alias(es): Natasha Romanoff; Natalie Rushman; Black Widow

Affiliation(s): Red Room (former); KGB (former)

Relatives: UNKNOWN

Intel on Romanoff is scarce.

We know that she was recruited by the KGB and was trained in the Red Room, a top-secret training facility focused on creating the perfect and most deadly female spy. She was one of the very few that survived training.

During her time with the KGB, she was accredited with over one hundred kills and another fifty after she left Russia.

She dropped off the radar in 2016.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Coulson wasn’t really surprised that the next one agreed.

“Of course I will help, Son of Coul!” the large man bellowed. “It would be my honor to work beside those worthy of your approval!”

Well that was easy.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

SHIELD File N1620-5672

Thor Odinson

Alias(es): NONE

Affiliation(s): ASGARD (formerly)

Relative(s): Odin Borson (Father); Frigga Jorddottir (Mother); Loki Laufeyson (Adoptive Brother)

Odinson was a lead enforcer on a STRIKE team highly praised by ASGARD, a Scandinavian intelligence agency. He was fired and labeled a traitor when he helped his adoptive brother escape prison.

His specialty is, not surprisingly, mythology. He also showed a great aptitude for flying in any weather.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Even though it had been going well so far, Coulson knew not to get his hopes up.

After all, the last two on his list weren’t known for their people skills.


	2. The Big Guy and The Man of Iron

“I need you to talk to the big guy.”

Natasha turned around. “You know Stark trusts me about as far as he can throw me,” she said coolly. 

“Oh, no, I’ve got Stark,” Coulson replied, a small smirk on his face. “You get the Big Guy.”

As he walked away, he heard her whisper, _“Bozhe moi…”_

\----------

Natasha had heard about him. Heard about what he was capable of. There wasn’t much she was scared of, but if she were to be honest, her biggest fear was meeting this guy in a dark alley. When Coulson told her to go recruit him, she was terrified.

This definitely wasn’t what she was expected.

“Were you sent to kill me?”

The man leaned back against the wall, a few strands of curly hair falling over his forehead. Hazel eyes watched Natasha from beneath his glasses.

“Because that won’t end well for anyone,” he continued.

Natasha took a few seconds to examine him before replying. At first glance, he looked like a professor, which was probably why he hadn’t ever been found before. When you looked closer, he had an obvious air of intelligence.

And a dangerous glint in his eyes.

“Actually, I’m here as a potential teammate. We need your help.”

“Who exactly is we?”

Natasha placed a file on the table in front of him. “These are the prospective team members. We have already recruited four out of the six. You would be the fifth.” The man picked up the file and flipped through it. “We have been narrowing down possible first cases, and those are in there as well.”

The man stopped on one of the profiles and said, “Stark? You’re trying to get him on the team?”

“You know him?”

“I do,” he replied, pushing his glasses up his nose. “And he won’t help you.”

Natasha eyed him. “How can you be sure?”

The man smiled. “Have you ever met him? He’s not a team player.” He put down the file and crossed his arms. “If you weren’t strangers, then maybe he’d help. But he doesn’t know you. The only thing bigger than his ego is his trust issues.”

“But he knows you,” Natasha says.

The man stared at her for a moment, and she could almost see the wheels turning in his head.

“Yeah,” he replies. “I guess he does.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

SHIELD File H1998-7634

Bruce Banner

Alias(es): The Hulk

Affiliation(s): NONE

Relative(s): Brian Banner (Father; Deceased); Rebecca Banner (Mother, Deceased)

Banner has been sought after for many years by many governments around the world for his expertise in multiple areas, such as the creation of new bombs, poisons, and acids. 

The United States government has given SHIELD first chance at recruiting him, but at this time, we have not been able to locate him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Tony Stark didn't work with anyone. It was a well known fact in the criminal underworld. Not that it stopped people from trying to get him to join their teams.

“I told you before. I don't want to join your super-secret boy band.”

Coulson didn't let his irritation show on his face as he replied, “At least look at the roster before you make a decision.”

Tony rolled his eyes, but did what he said. “Let’s see here, a dead soldier, a guy with a prehistoric weapon, Miss I’m-Totally-Who-I-Say-I-Am, a foreigner, and-” His eyes widened as he turned to Coulson. “Brucie-bear is on the team? You actually convinced him?”

“We did,” Coulson replied. “And he said he would be more comfortable with you on the team instead of a bunch of strangers.”

Tony squinted at him. “I feel like you’re manipulating me, but I’m going to go along with it anyway.”

Coulson let a small smile slip out as Tony turned away. “Does that mean you’re in?”

“Yes, Agent,” Tony sighed. “It means I’ll put up with your people.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

SHIELD File T1970-2008

Anthony Edward Stark

Alias(es): Iron Man

Affiliation(s): NONE

Relative(s): Howard Stark (Father, Deceased); Maria Stark (Mother, Deceased)

Tony Stark is a hacker and engineer that goes by the name Iron Man. Only a privileged few know his true identity, including some higher-ups at SHIELD. 

His father helped found and worked with SHIELD, which led us to try to recruit Stark, but he refused every time stating that he “worked alone.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Now came the hard part.

Getting them to work together would take a while, and if they were going to do the job Coulson had in mind, they would have to get along.

This should be fun.


	3. The Hammer Job (Part One)

“Hello, Peasants. Bow to your King.”

Everyone had an unimpressed look on their face as Tony strolled into the room. Well, almost everyone.

Clint just got down on his hands and knees and started bowing to Tony.

Tony grinned, saying, “I like this guy. The rest of you can leave.”

Steve stood up and went over to him. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Stark,” he said, holding his hand out.

“Ugh. Mr. Stark was my father. Call me Tony,” he replied, shaking Steve’s hand. “So, how are you still alive? Healing factor? Cryofreeze?”

Steve’s eyebrows furrowed. “What?” he asked, but Tony was already across the room, talking to Bruce.

“Don’t worry, Captain,” Coulson said. “Tony is hard to keep up with even if you’ve known him for a while.”

Steve smiled at him and said, “I thought it was just me, but if you can’t understand him, then I guess I’m fine.”

“Stark,” Coulson called. “Can you bring up the-”

“Of course, Agent,” Tony said, cutting him off. He tapped away at a tablet and a holographic diagram popped up over the table.

“I’m not an agent anymore,” Coulson reminded him, moving to the head of the table.

Tony just smirked, still tapping away, and said, “Whatever you say, Agent.”

Steve stared at the hologram in amazement. “Wow,” he breathed, the blue of the image reflecting off his eyes. “Did you make this?” he asked Tony.

“If you’re impressed by this, you should see some of my really cool stuff,” Tony said smugly.

Coulson turned to address the group.

“I’m glad to see you all here and willing to cooperate for the time being.” He glanced around the room, pointedly looking at Tony and Clint.

“Why are you looking at me?” Clint asked incredulously.

Coulson just shook his head and moved on. “As a trial run, we will be infiltrating a company. We need to be able to see how well you all work together.” The hologram changed into blueprint of a building.

Steve put both hands on the table and leaned in. “HammerTech?”

Tony grinned wolfishly and rubbed his hands together. “This should be fun.”

\----------

“Does Stark have something against Hammer?” Clint asked, hanging from the rafters.

“You could say that,” Bruce muttered from where he was fiddling with something that was glowing a sickly green.

“Wait.” Clint flipped off the rafter backwards, landing in front of him. “You know Stark?”

Bruce looked up at him. “I do. Have for years.”

Clint grinned, eyes glinting mischievously. “Is there anything else you know about him? Something embarrassing, perhaps?”

“And why would I tell you?”

“Because I’m adorable?”

Bruce just stared at him blandly. “That’s definitely not the case.”

“Hey!”


	4. New Toys

“You really don’t like Hammer, do you?”

Tony shook his head, not looking away from the hologram, fingers flying across the interactive table. “Do you?”

“Not at all,” Steve replied, leaning his hip against the table. “I don’t like any weapons contractors. Especially not ones that make defective weapons that hurt the people behind the guns more than the ones in front of it.”

There was a moment of silence before Tony spoke. “I worked for him for a while. My father wanted me to follow in his footsteps in the weapons industry.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

Tony glanced at him, one eyebrow raised.

“What I mean is, if you had, we wouldn’t have you now, and I know what you’re capable of.”

“Oh, are you?” Tony grinned. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” He winked at Steve, then waved his hand, dispelling the hologram and picking up a big black bag. “Now let’s go give these goodies to everyone.”

\----------

Tony set the bag on the table and called everyone over. “First of all,” he said. “Armor.”

“Stark, we don’t need armor. With any luck, there won’t be any combat during any of these jobs,” Coulson said blandly, but came over to collect his.

“Better safe than sorry,” Tony replied. He pulled out articles of clothing and passed them out. 

“Are you sure this will do anything?” Clint asked, holding his up with two fingers. “It seems… flimsy.”

Tony glared at him. “First of all, don’t insult my stuff, or you won’t get any more. Second, the fabric is made of cotton and a special blend of steel that I made into thread.”

Everyone stared at him in shock.

“Anyway,” Tony continued. He pulled out a folded metal contraption and handed it to Clint. “Shake it,” Tony said in response to Clint’s confused look.

Clint did, and his jaw dropped when it unfolded into a full size bow. “Whoa,” he breathed, touching it reverently.

“There’s also these,” Tony said, holding up a new quiver with arrows sticking out of it. Clint snatched it out of his hand and clutched it to his chest, as if scared Tony was going to change his mind and take it back.

“Next up, Miss Widow.” Tony handed her two bracelets. “These have an electric charge if you touch them together. They won’t discharge unless you press the jewels to your target. Bruce and I are working on another set that has a paralytic, instead.”

Natasha immediately slipped them on and, with a mysterious smile, went to the other side of the room.

Tony stared after her and said, “I feel like I’ve made a grievous mistake.”

“Probably,” Clint said absently, stroking his new toys.

Turning to Steve and Thor, Tony said, “Now for the two tall blondes.” He handed them both metal wrist cuffs with leather on the inside. The two men put them on. “I figured since you two will be intercepting most of the guards, you might need a secret weapon too. Tap the button on the underside.”

Thor tapped his first, and the metal on the top moved to reveal a light. “Heads up,” Tony said. Thor reached up and grabbed the hammer that was hurtling toward him. He raised an eyebrow at Tony.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Tony said. “I couldn’t resist.” He pointed to the light on the cuff. “That right there is a homing beacon, and there’s a matching one in the hammer. It will only respond to you, as well.”

“I shall name it Mjolnir,” Thor said cheerfully.

Tony grinned. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” He looked at Steve. “Now you do yours.”

“It’s not a gun, is it?” Steve asked, eyeing the weapons Tony slid to Coulson.

“No, why?”

 **“I don’t like guns,”** Steve replied, before hesitantly pressing the button on his cuff.

The metal shifted and expanded until there was a round, solid sheet of metal attached to the leather.

“Is that a shield?” Coulson asked incredulously.

“It’s just the prototype,” Tony said. “It’s made of adamantium, which is the strongest metal I could get on such short notice, but I have feelers out for something stronger.” He grabbed Steve’s shoulders and turned him around ao he was looking at the wall. “Throw it.”

“Throw what?” Steve asked.

“The shield,” Tony replied. “Everyone get down,” he said over his shoulder.

After Tony backed away, Steve planted his feet and swung the arm with the cuff on it. The shield was flung off the band, ricocheted off the wall and bounced around the room before Steve caught it when it came back to him.

Steve turned to Tony, whose grin split his face in two. “This is awesome,” Steve said, eyes bright and smile growing to match Tony’s.

“The color scheme is a bit on the nose,” Coulson said, pointing to the red and blue stripes around the outside and white star in the middle.

Tony waved him off. “I’ll tone it down for actual missions,” he replied. “Wouldn’t want our fearless leader to be noticed.” He raked his gaze down Steve’s body. “Not that he won’t be anyway, looking like that.”

Clint leaned back in his chair to get a look. “Damn straight.”

All this attention was making Steve blush, much to Tony’s delight.

“Thank you, Tony,” Steve said sincerely.

“No problem, Capsicle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've seen the show, you might have noticed that some of the things people say are direct quotes. If you haven't or just haven't noticed, they're the ones in bold.


	5. The Hammer Job (Part Two)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a longer chapter for you since it took so long for me to get back to this story!

“You already have a plan?”

“Of course I do.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

\----------

 _“How are you doing out there?”_

_“Oh, fine. I’m totally fine with sitting in a smelly van watching everyone else have fun through the cameras that I hacked in, like, two seconds. I’m fine.”_

Steve’s eye roll was practically audible through the comms. _“There’s no need for sarcasm, Tony.”_

“No, let him keep going,” Clint said, watching Hammer’s office from the building next door. “This is boring. Entertain me.”

 _“Be quiet, you big baby,”_ Natasha scolded. 

“But Tasha,” Clint whined. “You got the fun job. Why are you the one that always gets to seduce corporate shmucks?”

 _“You might get to,”_ Natasha replied. _“I don’t think Mr. Gregory plays for my team, and Steve's a bit tied up at the moment.”_

Clint grinned. “On it.” He collapsed his bow and clipped it to his quiver, then slung both across his back. “Got any clothes in that smelly van, Stark?”

 _“Have I got clothes? Who do you think I am? Of course I have clothes,”_ Tony replied. There was rustling on the other end of the comms. _“What do you want, Prada or Armani?”_

“You choose.”

\----------

Tony whistled. “You sure clean up nice, don’t you, Barton?”

“I try,” Clint replied with a wink before jumping out of the van and straightening his bright purple tie. “Have fun!” he called over his shoulder.

“Fuck off,” Tony yelled back.

 _“Could you two at least try to keep a low profile?”_ Steve asked wearily.

“Not really my style, Cap,” Tony said cheerily. “I’m more Robert Downey Junior than Chris Evans, you know what I mean?”

_“No, not really.”_

\----------

Half the heads in the room turned when Clint walked in.

“So,” Clint said after flashing a smile at the crowd, “who am I?”

_“Can you speak Russian?”_

“Some,” Clint replied, picking up a drink at the bar. “But I can do a killer accent.”

 _“It’ll have to do,”_ Tony replied. _“You’re Viktor Sokolov. Old mob friend of Irina Molchalin, Natasha’s alias.”_

“Copy that.”

\----------

“Sorry, ma’am,” Steve said with a charming smile. “Guests aren’t allowed this way.”

“Oh, no problem,” the woman replied. “Could you point me toward the bathroom?”

“It’s just over there.” The woman smiled and left with a touch to Steve’s arm.

 _“Wow, Cap. Seems like you’ve got an admirer,”_ Tony said teasingly.

“What does that mean?” 

_“Only that that woman was totally flirting with you,”_ Tony replied. _“You should have went for it. She was hot.”_

 _“I agree,”_ Clint said, pretending to whisper in Natasha’s ear. _“She was smoking.”_ Natasha shot him a glare and smacked his arm.

“I am not going to flirt while I’m working,” Steve replied exasperatedly.

Tony groaned. _“Don’t be such a fuddy duddy. Have a little fun!”_

“One, I am having fun. Two, ‘fuddy duddy?’ Really, Tony?” Steve chuckled, scanning the room for Hammer and keeping an eye on Clint and Natasha.

 _“I can say whatever I want,”_ Tony said. _“It’s a free country. I thought you knew that Mr. Captain America.”_

Steve shook his head. “I hate that name.”

 _“Get used to it, mon capitan,”_ Tony said. _“I like it, and that’s what matters.”_

“Does it now?” Steve asked, a small smile on his face.

_“It does.”_

\----------

Coulson smiled at the chatter in his ear as he picked the lock on the door to Hammer’s office.

The team was getting along well. Tony wasn’t being too insulting, Clint was mostly behaving himself, Natasha was keeping him in line, and Steve was keeping his eye on them all, so Phil had nothing to worry about.

Well, maybe he did.

“It would be much easier to just knock the door down,” Thor said helpfully from behind him. “I could do it.” His hand moved toward the cuff on his wrist.

Before Phil could move to stop him, Bruce touched Thor’s arm gently. “I’d prefer to do this a bit more subtly,” he said quietly. “I don’t like violence very much.”

Thor smiled down at him. “Of course, Doctor Banner,” he said. “I shall refrain from violence in your presence.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Unless your life is in danger. Then, I will have to resort to physical means.”

“I would expect nothing less.”

Phil turned back to his task with a smile on his face.


	6. The Hammer Job (Part Three)

“We’re in.”

“Steve that.”

“What?”

“It’s like Roger that, but using his first name instead.”

“Why did I want you on this team again?”

\----------

_"I'm no fuckin' good at this."_

Coulson motioned for Banner to go into the room first before responding. "You're the one that wanted to have some fun, Barton, so stop whining."

 _“Why couldn’t I have come with you?”_ Clint asked. 

“What did I just say?”

Clint groaned. _“Oh, come on, Phil.”_

Coulson closed the door behind him and followed Bruce and Thor. “Clint,” he said warningly.

 _“Phil?”_ Tony said incredulously. _“Since when do we call Agent ‘Phil?’”_

 _“Since I’ve known him forever, that’s why.”_ Clint retorted.

 _“Boys,”_ Natasha said warningly. _“We have a job to do.”_

 _“Widow’s right,”_ Steve said. _“Clint, just do your best.”_

\----------

“Who wants pizza? I want pizza,” Clint said, flopping head first onto Tony’s couch. 

“I’m down,” Tony said, whipping out his phone. “What does everyone want?”

Natasha plucked the phone out of his hand and sat primly on Clint’s back. 

Tony pouted and sat down next to Bruce. “Brucie, she’s mean.” Bruce just smiled at him and produced a book from somewhere.

“Is this really the time to be eating pizza?” Phil asked blandly.

“Come on, Phil,” Steve said, clapping him on the shoulder. “The bugs got planted, Bruce got the files he needed, and everyone got out safe and sound. That calls for a celebration.”

Natasha held out the phone for Phil to take. “Put in your order,” she commanded.

Not one to argue with her, Phil did, lifting Clint’s legs to sit on the couch.

Steve smiled down at his team, then sat down happily next to Thor on the floor, leaning back on Tony’s legs.

\----------

“This was a good idea,” Clint said, leaning into Phil’s side long after everyone else had fallen asleep.

Well, Natasha was probably faking, but it’s the thought that counts.

Phil was silent for a moment before responding. “They’re good people. Criminals, but good people.”

“That too, but I was thinking more along the lines that you get to see this hot bod every day,” Clint said with a sleepy grin.

Phil shook his head and slipped an arm around Clint’s shoulders. “It is good to see you more than twice a month, if that,” Phil allowed.

“Yeah,” Clint said quietly before drifting off on Phil’s shoulder.

\----------

“I thought you said you were dating a cellist!”

“A different kind of bow, Tony.”

“This makes so much more sense!”


End file.
